n an interview with USA TODAY on Thursday, the top coalition commander in Afghanistan called on NATO to expand its role there to include training Afghanistan's nascent police force, which has lagged its army in training and effectiveness.

A two-month review to be finished in late March of the "deteriorating situation" in Afghanistan will determine whether more U.S. troops will be sent there and how long they might stay, President Obama said Thursday.

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan offered a grim view Wednesday of military efforts in southern Afghanistan, warning that 17,000 new troops will take on emboldened Taliban insurgents who have "stalemated" U.S. and allied forces there.

A two-month review to be finished in late March of the "deteriorating situation" in Afghanistan will determine whether more U.S. troops will be sent there and how long they might stay, President Obama said Thursday.

Roadside bomb attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan hit an all-time high last year, killing more troops than ever and highlighting an "emboldened" insurgency there, according to figures released by the Pentagon.

Vice President-elect Joe Biden pledged long-term American support for Afghanistan during a visit, and the commander of NATO-led forces told him that thousands of new American troops expected this year will need more support against surging Taliban violence.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has approved the deployment of a combat aviation brigade to Afghanistan early next year, as the military begins a substantial buildup of forces there, The Associated Press has learned.

Coalition commanders in Afghanistan are hoping to come up with a plan -- and the necessary money -- to use tribal militias to help with security, a tactic successfully used against the insurgency in Iraq.